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Visitability and universal design

EQ11 |
Possible point

Intent

To enable the widest spectrum of people, regardless of age or ability, to more easily participate in community life by increasing the proportion of areas usable by people of diverse abilities.

To increase the proportion of areas usable by a wide spectrum of people, regardless of age or ability.

Requirements

Option 1. Projects with dwelling units

For each new project dwelling unit of the following residential building types, design to the applicable requirements specified:

Single dwelling unit buildings. Design a minimum of 20% of the dwelling units (and not less than one) in accordance with ICC/ANSI A117.1, Type C, Visitable Unit, each of which has an open-space plan for primary functions (an area for cooking, eating, and social gathering), as well as a sleeping area and a full bathroom.

Multiunit building with two or three dwelling units. Design a minimum of 20% of the dwelling units (and not less than one) in accordance with ICC/ANSI A117.1, Type C, Visitable Unit, each of which has a kitchen, dining area, living area, full bathroom, and bedroom on the accessible level. If a project has both attached and detached single dwelling unit buildings, the requirements apply to each type separately. Similarly, if a project has both 2- and 3- dwelling unit buildings, the requirements apply to each type.

Multiunit buildings with four or more dwelling units. This category includes mixed-use buildings with dwelling units. Design a minimum of 20% of the dwelling units (and not less than one) to incorporate the universal design requirements stated below, or comply with Option 2. Choose at least one of the following three strategies for universal design:

Throughout the home, include at least five of the following universal design features to facilitate universal function, access, and user ability:

Easy-to-grip lever door handles.

Easy-to-grip cabinet and drawer loop handles.

Easy-to-grip locking mechanisms on doors and windows.

Easy-to-grip single-lever faucet handles.

Easy-touch rocker or hands-free switches.

Motion-detector lighting at entrance, in hallways and stairwells, and in closets, and motion-detector light switches in garages, utility spaces, and basements.

Large, high-contrast print for controls, signals, and the house or unit numbers.

A built-in shelf, bench, or table with knee space below, located outside the entry door with weather protection overhead, such as porch or stoop with roof, awning, or other overhead covering.

Tread at the entrance, on stairs, and other areas where slipping is common, with color contrast difference between stair treads and risers.

Interior floor surfaces (e.g., low-pile carpets, hard-surface flooring) that provide easy passage for a wheelchair or walker, with color contrast between floor surfaces and trim. No carpet is permitted in a kitchen, bathroom, or other wet areas of the dwelling unit.

OR

On the main floor of the home (or on another floor, if an elevator or stair lift is provided), provide a kitchen with hard-surface flooring, plumbing with single-lever controls, a 5-foot (1.5 meters) turning radius, and at least four of the following universal design features to facilitate universal function, access, and user-ability:

Variable-height (28- to 42-inch or 700 millimeters to 1100 millimeters) or adjustable work surfaces, such as countertops, sinks, and/or cooktops.

Clear knee space under sink and cooktops (this requirement can be met by installing removable base cabinets or fold-back or self-storing doors), cooktops and ranges with front or side-mounted controls, and wall-mounted ovens at a height to accommodate a seated adult.

A toe kick area at the base of lower cabinets with a minimum height of 9 inches (230 millimeters), and full-extension drawers and shelves in at least half (by volume) of the cabinets.

For projects with only nonresidential components, or residential components that are not within the scope of Option 1, but have public rights-of-way or other publicly accessible travel routes within the project that are not in compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act (for private sector and local and state government facilities) or the Architectural Barriers Act (for federally funded facilities), design, construct, and/or retrofit 100% of the rights-of-way and/or travel routes in accordance with the ADA-ABA Accessibility Guidelines, as applicable.

Case 1. projects with new dwelling units (1 point)

Design a minimum of 20% of the new dwelling units (but not less than one dwelling unit per type) in accordance with ICC A117.1, Type C, Visitable Unit, for each of the following residential building types:

detached single-dwelling-unit buildings;

attached single-dwelling-unit buildings; and

buildings with two or three dwelling units.

Each unit must also have a kitchen, living area, bedroom, and full bath on an accessible level.

For multiunit buildings with four or more dwelling units, design a minimum of 20% of the units (but not less than one) to meet the requirements of one of the following options. This category includes mixed-use buildings with dwelling units.

Option 1. universal design features throughout the home (1 point)

Throughout the home, include at least five of the following universal design features:

easy-to-grip lever door handles;

easy-to-grip cabinet and drawer loop handles;

easy-to-grip locking mechanisms on doors and windows;

easy-to-grip single-lever faucet handles;

easy-touch rocker or hands-free switches;

motion-detector lighting at entrance, in hallways and stairwells, and in closets, and motion-detector light switches in garages, utility spaces, and basements;

large, high-contrast print for controls, signals, and the house or unit numbers;

a built-in shelf, bench, or table with knee space below, located outside the entry door with weather protection overhead, such as porch or stoop with roof, awning, or other overhead covering;

tread at the entrance, on stairs, and other areas where slipping is common, with color contrast difference between stair treads and risers; and

interior floor surfaces (e.g., low-pile carpets, hard-surface flooring) that provide easy passage for a wheelchair or walker, with color contrast between floor surfaces and trim; no carpet is permitted in a kitchen, bathroom, or other wet areas of the dwelling unit.

OR

Option 2. kitchen features (1 point)

On the main floor of the home (or on another floor, if an elevator or stair lift is provided), provide a kitchen with hard-surface flooring, plumbing with single-lever controls, a 5-foot (1.5-meter) turning radius, and at least four of the following universal design features:

variable-height (28- to 42-inch [70- to 110-centimeter]) or adjustable work surfaces, such as countertops, sinks, and cooktops;

clear knee space under sink and cooktops (this requirement can be met by installing removable base cabinets or fold-back or self-storing doors), cooktops and ranges with front or side-mounted controls, and wall-mounted ovens at a height to accommodate a seated adult;

a toe kick area at the base of lower cabinets with a minimum height of 9 inches (23 centimeters), and full-extension drawers and shelves in at least half (by volume) of the cabinets;

Provide knee space under the lavatory (this requirement may be met by installing removable base cabinets or fold-back or self-storing doors).

Install a long mirror whose bottom is no more than 36 inches (90 centimeters) above the finished floor and whose top is at least 72 inches (180 centimeters) high.

In addition, all bathrooms must have hard-surface flooring, all plumbing fixtures must have single-lever controls, and tubs or showers must have hand-held showerheads.

Case 2. projects with noncompliant routes and no new dwelling units (1 point)

This case applies to projects that have no new residential units and are either (1) retrofitting existing public rights-of-way or publicly accessible travel routes that are not in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA, for private sector and local and state government facilities) or the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA, for federally funded facilities), or (2) building new publicly accessible travel routes that are not legally required to meet ADA-ABA accessibility guidelines.

Design, construct, or retrofit 90% of the rights-of-way and travel routes in accordance with the ADA-ABA accessibility guidelines, as applicable, or local equivalent for projects outside the U.S., whichever is more stringent.

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